The Boleyn Family Values
by The Creatress
Summary: Anti-HG, Anti-Molly. Molly taught Ginny at a young age of her sole purpose in life: Seduce Harry Potter. It's Ginny's first year and she's started her task. She won't fail. She has many problems, but nothing, not even death, can divert her from her goal..
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter or anything related.

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Author's Note:

This came to me while reading The Other Boleyn Girl by Philipa Gregory. I think the parallels fit, but whatever.

Enjoy…

luv

The Creatress

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The Boleyn Family Values

Chapter 1 – Let the Games Begin

"Ginny!" Molly Weasley's voice was soft, but shrill, as she grabbed her daughter's shoulder and shook her roughly in her haste to get the girl up. "Wake up! For Merlin's sake, girl, wake up _now_!" Seeing that her daughter was beginning to stir, she turned around and her eyes widened when she realized that she'd left the door open. Cursing, as softly as possible – it wouldn't do to have Harry Potter hear her swear – she ran over and closed it before running about the room, trying to find her daughter's best clothes.

Ginny frowned before cracking her eyes open. She sat up, her mind still hazy from her sleep, and observed her mother swirling about her room, shifting chaotically through her clothes and trying to tidy up at the same time. The older woman's face was flushed almost as red as her faded crimson hair. Ginny glanced grudgingly at the clock on the side table. It was barely seven. She turned and glowered at her mother. In a cold voice, she asked, "What on earth is so important that I was robbed of one and half hours of my _beauty sleep_?" She dragged the last two words out with scorn. Because sleep was necessary in order to maintain beauty, her mother sent her bed an hour ahead of the rest of the family. If her father ever pointed out that beauty was only skin deep, her mother would scowl and turn to the back-up reason of Ginny's young age.

Molly stopped her flurrying and turned toward her daughter, her eyes wide with excitement, but focused. Standing at the foot of Ginny's bed, she bent over and clutched the edge of the footboard tightly. "Harry Potter is _here_," she hissed.

All at once, Ginny's fatigue and irritation flew from her. For half a second, she didn't respond, but her chocolate eyes narrowed. "How?" she questioned, simply.

Molly straightened and scowled. "Your brothers thought it would be a good idea to take your father's car to his house and steal him away this morning."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "They kidnapped him?" she asked.

Molly smirked. "No, dear, they _rescued_ him." The smirk faded and she frowned, tiredly. "Apparently, Ron thought he was in danger. The foolish boy could have warned me first."

"Warned you, mother?" Ginny almost laughed. "And what would you have done if he had? Stopped him? A heroic rescue could only strengthen their friendship and increase his favour for you."

Molly shrugged. "It would have given me time to prepare," she scowled. "The house is a mess; Ron's room's a mess..." Her calculating eyes rested on her daughter and she frowned. "_You_ are a mess."

Ginny scowled. "Well, I have _just_ gotten up." She pushed her covers off her and got out of bed to stand in front of her large mirror. Frowning, she ran her fingers delicately through her crimson locks.

"That's no excuse, Ginny, you must always look your best," Molly said. She turned and resumed her search for the perfect outfit. "What should happen if he were to walk in on you looking like… Like _that_?" She looked over her shoulder at the younger girl for a moment. "What have I told you, Ginny? It takes care to attract a man and keep him."

Ginny stared at her mother's back in the mirror and had to bite down a witty remark about Molly's appearance and Arthur's undying devotion. Perhaps her father was blind and has somehow hidden it from the family for some reason.

Smirking, she turned back to her face and examined her reflection. She had a pale face, lightly sprinkled with freckles – she used to have more before her mother's victory in vanquishing most of them. The rest should go quickly as she grew up. Her dark chocolate eyes were lined with dark crimson lashes and accentuated with slender brows that were perfectly arched and trimmed all the time. Her mother told her many times that she was lucky to be born with them. Her lips were a soft pink at some times and a darker shade, almost red, at others. Her hair was, of course, her best feature – a vibrant dark scarlet. It only came a few inches past her shoulders, however – her mother wanted her to look young. Too long hair at too young an age – Ginny couldn't manage it on her own, she'd said. Besides, short hair was in style for young girls at the moment.

Ginny fingered her hair, thoughtfully. Maybe it was easier to manage this way, but her mother's reasoning for keeping it short was hypocritical at best. At eleven, Ginny wasn't old enough to have long hair, but at – what? Four? Five? At a very young age, she'd been told the purpose in her life. Lure, seduce and entrap Harry Potter. It was her ultimate goal to become his wife, and it was her mother's to become his mother-in-law.

Ginny couldn't blame her mother for the wish – every female, girl or woman, must have the desire to have _something_ to do with him. She wasn't sure that everyone went about it like Molly Weasley though.

Molly had grown up in an upper Middle class family with dreams and aspirations. She wanted to be a singer, a dancer, an actress – anything that would make her money. She simply wanted a better life than what her parents offered her and her six siblings. However, she couldn't sing, dance or act. Well, acting, she could do, but Wizarding plays quickly went out of style the moment muggles started making coloured movies. She had never been good at academia – she just didn't have the patience for studies, so she didn't know what to do with the miserable life she had, let alone how to achieve the wondrous life she wanted.

And, like a ray of golden Weasley sunshine in a gray, Prewitt storm, Arthur entered her life. She'd known him all her years at school, and had been a friend to him. However, she allowed their relationship to develop beyond friendship after he'd graduated school and started on his career. He was a politician – a good, respected, promising politician who _everybody_ loved. His possessions were more meager than the Prewitts', but he was a rising star. She'd watched carefully and estimated that her Perfect Life would be within reach in a few short years after marrying him. Oh, how wrong she was. The skies expanded, inviting Arthur's star to rise some more, rise and shine bright enough to block out the sun. But the star had stopped abruptly when it became interested in muggle gadgets and chose to stay at a very low point over the horizon. And Molly was stuck with it. How she _despised_ that point.

The only things she received from Arthur that would give her a possibility of making life better were her children. With each birth, her chances at a better life increased. She'd put a lot of hope into Charlie, Bill, Percy, all of them. Throughout the war, the insane amount of protection that she placed on each of them was to secure her chances of money and the pleasures of money from when the children would grow up. The war ended, and none of her family harmed, and she was quite happy – the situation would have been perfect if Voldemort had managed a few green flashes toward Arthur before getting himself killed. The Condolence Galleons the ministry was sending out after the war had been little fortunes (all paid by Malfoy, Parkinson, etc, etc. to convince the world of their goodness).

Her attitude quickly changed toward her husband when she was impregnated for a seventh time. Harry Potter, who was nothing more than a name in a newspaper to her, became something so much more as soon as she learned that she would give birth again just one year after he was born. She performed every charm and drank every potion available to make sure that it was a girl. A pretty girl at that.

And here Ginny was.

Molly quickly fixed Ginny's bed with a flick of her wand and laid the clothes she'd chosen on the sheets. "Get ready, but don't try too hard. It is early morning, after all. Just make sure that you're attractive when you come down." She looked up into the mirror and met Ginny's eyes coldly. "And for Merlin's sake, do _not_ repeat that behaviour you exhibited at King's Cross last year."

Ginny frowned at her in the reflection as Molly straightened and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Oh, yes. King's Cross, September, 1991. After years and years of preparation, Ginny had slipped at the pivotal moment. When her brothers had come back to tell her and her mother that Potter was on the train, Ginny was overcome by the excitement of meeting her target that she'd begged to go see him. She still remembered the horrified look on her mother's face. In public, her mother had shushed her and laughed it off, but when they'd gotten home, Molly had raged shrilly about it for hours.

"What if he'd heard?! Then what?! He'll have known! _What if he'd heard?!_"

Her performance when they'd gone to pick the boys up was much more acceptable. It could have gone better – but, it was acceptable. Her mother had come home and hoped to Merlin that it had undone everything she'd said during the last September.

Ginny smiled, half amusedly, half ruefully at her reflection. Her heart thudded loudly against her chest and her expression softened, her eyes running over her features again.

What if she failed?

She held out a hand and softly touched the mirror with it. She would not fail. She was the seventh born, the first daughter in seven generations of Weasleys. She had a pedigree that the Malfoys would be envious of. She had beautiful, snow white skin and even more beautiful, shiny scarlet hair. She was smart and skillful. There, she had everything – beauty, brains, brawn and bloodlines. She was Ginevra Weasley. She would not fail.

She stepped away from the mirror and picked up her clothes off the bed. She shed her nightgown, and pulled on her skirt, shirt and jumper before stepping out of her room. She quietly closed the door behind her, and was about to descend the stairs, but stopped at the landing in front of her bedroom door. She placed her hands on the worn banister and leaned over a bit, straining to hear any sounds of Potter. She didn't have to try very hard. First, she heard the twins' loud voices, followed by her mother's hushed, almost amused (so fake to her trained ears) scolding, and then Ron, and then – finally – the voice of The Boy Who Lived.

He sounded like he had last June when they'd gone to pick everyone up. His tone was hushed and quiet. He sounded so modest.

Was he really that modest though?

She almost scrunched her face in thought, but forced herself to straighten her visage. Her mother was nowhere around, but the awesome crime of face-scrunching, brow-furrowing, or anything that may cause wrinkles was uncomfortable to commit (no matter the lack of witnesses) because of how she'd been brought up.

Sighing inwardly, she strained to hear what the Boy Wonder was saying, but couldn't pick up any of his words. Her former train of thought came back to her. Can someone who had such history, such fame be so modest?

"He's here," a voice stated from behind her.

Ginny smiled just a little bit. "I know, Percy."

Percy appeared at her side, and looked down toward the kitchen. He frowned _deeply_, his eyebrows _quite_ furrowed – wrinkles were never a problem for males, apparently. "You'll be expected to put on a good show, I expect," he said.

Ginny nodded. "Of course. It's what I'm here for," she murmured, her voice nonchalant.

"Are you well?" her bother enquired, turning his gaze on her.

Ginny nodded again, once more with an air of nonchalance.

Percy frowned at her. "First impressions are very important," he quoted their mother.

"I've had my first impressions." A completely random thought hit her and she turned to face him. "Why does she always pluralize the word 'impressions?' It's not as if you have more than one."

Percy ignored her question. "That wasn't this important," he argued, his tone rising, scarily like his mother's. Percy must have noted this, because his eyes widened before his expression relaxed. He regarded Ginny with a softer gaze. "My poor sister…" he muttered. He glanced down toward the kitchen. "This is very unfair to you."

"What is, big brother?" Ginny asked with just the slightest hint of a smirk.

"Being forced to…" Percy trailed off. Unable to find the words to finish, he started to fiddle with his glasses.

"Feel sorry for yourself, Percy. You are just as much her pawn as I am," Ginny responded, all traces of the smirk gone. "As much as all of us, save Charlie and Bill, are."

Percy left his glasses and looked at her. "I don't recall her forcing _me_ onto anyone?"

"No, she only forced you onto your books."

Percy rolled his eyes. "That's different. Everybody needs academia to succeed. What she says to me is normal."

_Keep telling yourself that, brother,_ Ginny thought. "Let's go downstairs before she comes looking for us."

"I met him last year. He seems very kind," Percy said as they started climbing down the stairs.

"He isn't egotistical?" Ginny inquired with a slight smirk. "He _is_ a hero."

Percy shook his head. "Very modest. Rather quiet."

"Hm," was all Ginny had to say as they neared the kitchen door.

Percy looked sideways at her. "You've heard all of our accounts of him," he reminded her. "He's been nothing less than the perfect gentleman. Hardly egotistical at all."

"Is that so?" Ginny murmured. Percy was about to open the door, but Ginny stopped him and gently pushed him away, opening the door a crack and looking into the kitchen. Ron, the twins and the Boy Wonder were all seated around the table, eating breakfast.

"What are you doing?" Percy asked from behind her. "What if he sees you staring at him?"

Ginny only smirked against the wood of the door before lightly leaning against it to make it creak. Her action had the desired effect and Harry Potter looked up from his plate and looked into her eye which was showing through the crack. Pretending to be surprised and embarrassed, Ginny widened her eyes before slamming the door shut. Before she did however, she noticed her mother's and Ron's horrified looks at her action and the twins' curiosity.

"What was all that about?" Percy whispered, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Mother will murder you!"

Ginny laughed lightly. She could hear Ron's forced laughter and then his scrambling to cover for her. 'Ginny – my sister… You don't know how weird this is…'

Smirking, Ginny turned back to Percy. "He isn't egotistical? How big an ego must one have before deciding that you can face Voldemort at age eleven and come out alive?"

"Ginny!" Percy hissed, his eyes widening. "You're not supposed to say his name!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "What's the point? The Great One killed him, didn't he?" she asked.

"That doesn't make it alright," Percy retorted in a furious whisper. "Make sure you don't do such a thing when we go to Diagon Alley later."

Ginny waved her hand lightly, dismissing the issue. "Anyway. From everything you've told me, it's blindingly obvious that he is egotistical. I should play up to that."

"How does playing shy behind a door play up to his ego? You come off like a stalker!" Percy exclaimed, his voice still hushed.

"No, I come off _adoring_," Ginny said, calmly. "And shy. His very presence is overwhelming."

Percy shook his head. "I'm telling you, Gin. He doesn't like all this hero stuff."

Ginny snorted disbelievingly. "Everybody loves being rich and famous. What he doesn't like is having to prove himself. He's scared of the responsibility."

Percy cocked his head a bit and stared at her. "What makes you such an expert?"

Ginny shook her head. "I spent the whole of last year reading about Muggle psychology and characters."

"You were… Researching and analyzing him?"

Ginny shrugged a shoulder. "I had to be prepared. When Ron first wrote to us that he was friends with Potter, it really raised the stakes for me. Apparently, Ron's done half the work for me. What reason do I have now to fail?" She shook her head. "Things will get interesting now." She started pushing the door open. "Are you coming?" she asked, raising her eyebrows when she saw her brother lean against the wall.

Percy shook his head. "I still don't know if you're going about this the right way. I'll wait out here and come rescue you if or when you get into trouble."

Ginny only smirked. "You'll miss breakfast, but suit yourself," she said. She wiped the smirk off her face, and hunched down a bit – she looked so much more shy and demure than she did usually with her head held high and her shoulders held back. She gently pushed the door open and tiptoed in, eyes firmly on the floor.

"Ginny," she heard Ron mutter in introduction. She could hear the ill-disguised irritation in his voice. Obviously, Ron thought she was going about her seduction the wrong way as well.

"Hello," she heard Harry Potter say from somewhere to her right. She glanced up at him and quickly looked away, trying to make herself blush furiously as she murmured a 'hello' in response.

"Oh, the owls are here," Molly suddenly announced.

Ginny looked up through the window. A few owls were coming toward the house, but they were still quite far away. Ginny glanced at her mother to see the older woman give her a stern, warning look. Ginny only smirked and turned back to the window. The owls flew in and Molly relieved them of their letters before handing them out around the table.

As she took her Hogwarts letter from her mother, Ginny couldn't help but feel extremely eager and giddy. As she opened the letter, there was a small part of her that wryly thought that a mere letter can make her more excited than the Boy Wonder.

"Will you be starting at Hogwarts this year?" Potter was asking her.

_Oh, no. Better get back into character._ Ginny glanced at him with a shy expression before turning away and timidly nodding. She turned back to her letter and started reading it, so engrossed that she accidentally placed her elbow into the butter. Her eyes widened in surprise and she quickly glanced at Potter, who was staring at the butter with wide eyes. Ah, he thought it was because of him. Ginny could have laughed, but Percy walked in at that moment, giving her a short, incredulous look before settling down to have breakfast.

As Ron distracted Harry with news about Lockhart, Ginny picked up the butter tray to dispose of the butter and go clean herself up. This would be a long day…

After breakfast, Ginny ran from the dining room and managed to stay away from her mother for the whole morning before they left for Diagon Alley. Molly was quietly seething and everyone in the household (except the Almighty Boy Wonder) knew it. Arthur Weasley, who'd come home halfway through breakfast, had escaped to his tool shed as quickly as he could. Ron had dragged Harry Potter off to his room to keep him distracted from any drama that might occur because of Ginny's actions. Fred and George – how Ginny loved them – were trying to keep Molly busy with their antics so that she wouldn't have a chance to swoop down on their younger sister. Percy had also retreated to his own room, but not before trying to talk Ginny. Percy cared – Ginny knew he did, but she figured that it was probably just because she was the only person in the household who knew what he may feel like. They had a sort of camaraderie, but that was it. Percy was too awkward around her – he never knew what to do or say to her to make a situation better.

Ginny looked at her brother, who was standing in the doorway of her room, fiddling with his glasses. "You can't even handle your own sister's problems. How will you fare as a _politician_?" she asked, cuttingly.

Percy smiled a bit. "The population of Wizarding England is quite different from _you_," he responded.

Ginny had to laugh a bit before turning around to pick out the clothes she'd wear for the day. He could be witty when he wanted to be. Shame that no one ever saw it. "Just leave, Percy. I'll be fine." She imagined him nodding before she heard the door swing shut with a soft click.

Percy was to play Arthur Version 2.0. He would be the same rising star that his father was, but he would not get interested in muggle gadgets halfway through and stop everything for his hobby.

Ginny wondered what Harry wanted to do with his life. Ron didn't know. Nobody knew. What would happen when the Boy Wonder grew up? Would people still be lavishing him with money and gifts because of an act that he'd committed as a child?

Not that he really committed any act. For the life her, Ginny couldn't figure out why people were going completely crazy over a spell bouncing off a baby and going back to hit its caster. Potter hadn't done anything – he'd just been present at the time. He just existed – anybody could simply _exist_. He was rubber, and Voldemort was glue. Just how great was being rubber supposed to be? If it were up to her, Halloween should be a holiday, not to celebrate Potter, but to celebrate Voldemort's stupidity/clumsiness/both.

As this thought settled, she wryly thought to herself that this said something sad and ridiculous about the Wizarding World – their three most important men were 1) A lucky baby, 2) A half-existent shadow of a man who once upon a time reigned terror and 3) a small, awkward wizard who looked as if he could fall over at any moment under the weight of his large bowler hat.

Comforting.

Ginny pushed the thought from her head and pulled her cloak off a hook on the wall and threw it around her shoulders.

Show time.

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Molly Weasley said nothing to Ginny, only scowling at her as they stepped into the floo to head to Diagon Alley. She had been on edge and irritated for the whole morning – Ron and the twins' unplanned rescue mission, her husband's disappearance into the shed, her daughter's behaviour at breakfast. By the time they'd gotten out of Gringotts' vaults – and Ginny was glad to be out of there. During the whole time they'd been at Potter's vault, her mother had been poking her in the side as if reminding her what they were playing for – the auburn topped pot that was Molly Weasley was just about ready to boil over. Ginny kept smirking at her mother's demeanor while keeping a safe distance away, just as her brothers were doing. Harry Potter, it seemed, was completely oblivious.

Because just as they were crossing the foyer of the bank, the Boy Wonder unknowingly decided to turn the heat up under the Weasley matron.

Everyone had been walking along, their discomfort disguised by idle chitchat and laughter when Harry stopped short and grinned widely. All the Weasleys' eyes whipped to him before following his gaze to see what had caught his attention.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed before rushing forward.

Ah.

Molly's mouth dropped open and she turned questioningly, angrily to Ron, as if demanding an explanation.

Ron shrunk a bit under his mother's eyes before quickly following Harry.

_That's right, Ronald_, Ginny thought as she watched him scamper to his friends. _Don't give them a moment alone._

Molly caught her daughter's arm and turned her to face her. "Did you see that?" she demanded.

Ginny turned around to look over at the group around the older Gryffindor girl. She also noted her father, who had joined two people who she guessed to be Hermione's parents… Her mother would never forgive Arthur for this traitorous behaviour. Hermione herself seemed no different from last year. Her hair was still a mess of bushy curls; her front teeth were still large. She still looked quite the child – her short form making her look even younger than Ginny even. The redhead snorted in a very unladylike fashion. "Please, Mother, have you even looked at her?"

Molly turned around to take another look at Hermione, and because of Ginny's bad luck, the sun chose that moment to beam a ray of gold right on the muggleborn and Hermione suddenly broke out into a wide smile over something Harry said. Her messy brown hair was suddenly highlighted with light bronze, and despite her front teeth, her smile lit up her whole face. She wasn't beautiful like Ginny – not by a long shot, but there was something about her that was… interesting. That held one's attention. Even a blind man would know that this trait would grow into something stunning as the girl got older.

Molly scowled and turned back to Ginny. "I don't like her," she stated, evenly.

Ginny wrinkled her nose just a bit and looked up at her mother. "Of course, you don't. You don't like any muggleborns." Of course she didn't. Muggle movies had ended her acting career short, her husband had stopped his climb in the Ministry because of his fascination with muggle gadgets, and now, a muggleborn was once again ruining her plans. Molly would never admit it out loud though, lest it make Arthur's situation worse or negatively affect Percy's career.

Molly shook her head, shifting her eyes back to Hermione, who was obliviously laughing with Ron and Harry. "You focus on Harry Potter," the woman instructed. "I'll take care of _Hermione_," she said, stressing the name distastefully. "What is a muggleborn doing with an Ancient Roman name?" she muttered.

"I think she might be part Greek. Hermione was a Greek goddess. Or was she the Princess of Troy?" Ginny murmured, trying to remember.

Molly harrumphed. "It doesn't matter. Don't mind her. You've a better name."

Ginny smirked. "I know, Mother."

Molly looked around. "Where is Percy?" she asked, frowning.

Ginny also quickly glanced around and spotted her brother at the other end of the hall, talking to a girl with short black girls. She was quite pretty. And Percy seemed completely relaxed and happy, chuckling quietly as he talked to her. Ginny smiled a little and turned back to her mother. "I've no idea."

Molly waved her hand at the twins, beckoning them closer. "No matter," she mumbled. When the twins reached her, she nodded at Harry, Ron and Hermione. "Tell Ron to come here, and then escort Harry and Hermione to Flourish and Blotts. Tell him come quickly."

Fred and George gave her a confused look, but, sensing that their mother was irritated, quickly left to do as they were told. A moment later, Ron jogged up to them. Ginny glanced at Harry and Hermione to see that they were walking to the bank entrance with the twins, Arthur and the Grangers behind them.

"What is it?" Ron asked, curiously. He rounded on Ginny. "What was that crap at breakfast?!" he demanded.

Molly shushed him, but glared briefly at Ginny, nonetheless. "Hush, Ronald, we don't have time to discuss that," she said, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Ginny smirked. Ron was the uncontested favourite now. Because of being lucky enough to walk into a train compartment at the best possible moment, he was the best friend of the Boy Who Lived. The one who'd been overlooked all his life was now the centre of attention in the Weasley household, and Ron milked it for all that it was worth. He'd helped him last year through many trials and tribulations. Ginny had wondered why no one would just slip Potter a homosexuality potion and let Ron have him.

Ron was looking up at Molly expectantly. "What is it?"

"How close are Harry and Hermione?"

Ron shrugged. "They're friends. He's closer to me than he is with her, but they are good friends. She was with us during everything last year."

Molly glanced at the group, which was waiting for them at the entrance. "Is she a threat to Ginny?" she asked Ron.

Ginny burst out laughing sarcastically, earning a glare from her mother and brother.

Ron scowled at Ginny. "It's too early to tell," he said, addressing his mother. He finally turned to face the older woman. "She isn't at the moment."

Molly reached out and gently combed Ron's hair back. "Ron, if she does become a threat… I _can_ trust you to handle the situation, can't I?"

Ginny looked at them, surprised. Never before had any of the _boys_ been used this way.

Ron was completely clueless. "Umm… Yes," he said, unsurely. "I can always tell him that Hermione's lesbian."

Ginny bit back a laugh. "If they're as close as you say they are, he would probably know about her dating habits," she pointed out.

Molly glanced at her. "Your sister is right, Ronald. I meant that _you_ should be the one to handle Granger if she gets in our way."

Ron stared at his mother for a second and then a flicker of understanding crossed his eyes.

"Ah. I think he's gotten the message," Ginny put in sarcastically.

Molly smoothed back his hair some more. "Ronald, I've so much faith in you and you've proven yourself to be the greatest son a mother could ask for this last year." She petted his head. "You won't let me down, will you?"

Ginny bit her lip to keep from laughing at the look on Ron's face. His ears were red as his hair and he looked uncomfortable, but he was subservient as ever. "Yes, Mother. Of course."

Molly beamed and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Off to Flourish and Blotts then," she announced, leaving her children to join the group at the entrance.

Ron looked across the hall at Hermione for a second with a small frown. He then turned to Ginny. "Good luck, Ginny," he said, smiling wryly.

Ginny smirked at Ron. "Good luck, Lover Boy," she wished him and started walking away. "You'll need it."

Let the games begin…

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A/N

Good? Bad? Don't you just lurrrrrrve Manipulative!Molly and Ginny?

I swear this fic will be as humourous and it will be dark and angsty.

**Next chapter**

- The confrontations at Flourish and Blotts – how will Ginny play the chaos to her advantage?

- Ginny isn't the only one playing for Potter's heart – Romilda Vane and a good portion of the first years join the race. No game is fun without rivals.

- Three letters: T. M. R.

Review! (I'll give you a cookie!)

Luv

Creatress


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter or anything related

Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter or anything related.

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Author's Note:

Hi all! Sorry for the long wait, but here's chapter 2! But before you go on –

**READ THIS!!**

People have reviewed and messaged me asking about the pairings in this story. So far, I have not decided on the pairings. I'm not even sure there will be, but everybody seems to want something, so I might add "romantic" spices later, but nothing is set in stone. Just wanted to clear that up.

Luv

Creatress

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The Boleyn Family Values

Chapter 2 – The Girl They Know

When Harry and her brothers had left the house to go play Quidditch in the backyard, Ginny had immediately escaped to her own room and stayed there under the guise of packing. She didn't want to be caught by her mother, but now, as she stood waving her wand over her clothes and books, practicing the _Wingardium Leviosa_ (her father had let it slip that the Ministry couldn't detect under aged magic in their home and her brothers had been doing under his nose ever since. She herself had just taken the first-year spell out of one of her texts about an hour ago, hands trembling with nervous excitement, had done the spell and was just starting to get the hang of it), she realized that she needn't have bothered sneaking around. If she strained her ears, she could hear her mother's shouting coming from her parents' room. Everyone but blissfully ignorant Harry Potter had seen this tirade coming ever since they'd gotten back from Diagon Alley.

The spectacle at Flourish and Blotts had been… Entertaining. On the walk there, Molly had been straightening out her robes and running her fingers through her short hair, trying to make herself appear as presentable as possible. Ginny didn't see the point – after years of letting herself get away, a few short moments were hardly enough time to fix her up and induce Gilderoy Lockhart to fall in love with her. At the store, Lockhart and Potter posed for pictures, Lockhart as confident and manly as Harry was awkward and childish.

In a moment of wickedness, Ginny had tugged on her mother's hand to get her attention and hissed in her ear if Lockhart would be a better target than Harry. Molly had looked at her and shook her head. "No, of course not. Gilderoy Lockhart will be your professor. Imagine the scandal." With that blunt assessment, she'd turned back and continued to stare adoringly at the Wizarding World's greatest heroes. Rolling her eyes at her mother, Ginny had moved away to go find her books. After Harry stumbled away from Lockhart, the blond had turned his attention to Hermione and spent a good ten minutes signing her books and basking in her flattery. Ginny had turned back to look at her mother, and, as expected, Molly was scowling stealthily at the brunette.

Ginny had laughed inwardly, but her mood was interrupted when she saw Malfoy and Potter exchanging words near the front of the store. Getting a bit closer, she heard Malfoy insult Potter over the photo shoot, and her hatred of the Malfoys driving her more than her 'love' for Potter, she'd stepped in to defend him. Malfoy insulted her, and then the Malfoy patron stepped in to insult them, and then her own father ran in to defend her honour… One thing led to another and chaos ensued. No one in their right minds could expect peace when there were a bunch of Malfoys and a bunch of Weasleys in the same room.

So this just goes to prove what Ginny had already suspected – that her mother wasn't in her right mind.

Molly didn't like the Malfoys either, but the woman had been shocked and inconsolable over the confrontation. She was practically trembling with rage that Arthur would do something that may further hurt his career. Of course, with the Boy Wonder around, she couldn't really do anything about it, but now, Potter was at a safe distance from the master bedroom and the loud noise produced by four Weasley boys should be enough to drown out the Weasley matron no matter how loud she should get.

As she sent another book floating into her suitcase, Ginny couldn't help but feel worried for her father. She wanted to run into her parents room and go to his defense the same way he'd come to hers at Flourish and Blotts, but she _couldn't_. It wasn't in her place. Her mother would shriek at her to get out and her father would calmly tell her that they were just talking, to run along outside and play.

Suddenly, a high-pitched smash rang out from behind the master bedroom door and Ginny knew that her mother must have hurled something against a wall and it'd shattered.

Her trunk full, Ginny slammed it shut. She couldn't wait to leave for school.

xXxXx

Ginny flopped down into her seat on the train and thanked Merlin that she'd managed to escape her mother before the woman tried to give her yet another lecture and last minute pieces of advice. The twins and even Percy had done likewise, leaving poor Ron and Harry to bear the brunt of their mother when they came through the platform wall.

The young redhead could now see her mother standing alone on the platform – Ron and Harry must be on the train then – looking over the compartment windows with narrowed eyes. Ginny moved to the other side of the train, hoping that she would not be seen.

Soon, a small blonde entered her compartment, dragging her suitcase, which was aqua blue with silver hearts, behind her. She was thin and pale, with large, luminescent silver eyes. All traits of the Malfoy family, but her blonde hair was shades darker than the platinum shades of the men they'd fought with at the bookstore.

Ginny sat quietly, watching her carefully as she put her suitcase away and took a seat across from the redhead, never once looking at her.

Finally, the blonde raised her eyes to meet Ginny's and for a few seconds, they just looked each other over, almost sizing one another up.

Ginny was about to turn away when the other girl smiled softly at her. Alright, definitely not a Malfoy then. "Hello," she said demurely.

Ginny nodded at her and graced her with a small smile, which was just a little bit calculating. "Hello," she returned.

"I'm Luna Lovegood," the blonde said, offering Ginny a hand.

"Ginny Weasley," Ginny said, taking her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too," Luna said, her smile a little more relaxed.

Ginny looked her over. "Are you in first year?"

Luna nodded. "I'm so nervous," she said. "There's a test we're supposed to pass as soon as we get there, I hear."

Ginny smirked. "No, it's nothing. They'll just put a hat on you and it'll tell you which house you'll be in."

"Oh," Luna said, wonderingly. "Is that all?"

Ginny nodded and was about to ask which house she was hoping for when the compartment door opened and three girls walked in, all pulling their trunks behind them. The one in the middle, who had long black hair and cold, blue eyes looked around at them and asked, "Is this compartment full?" When Ginny and Luna shook their heads, she stepped in and sighed in relief. "Thank Merlin. The only other compartment available is taken up by two older boys who keep exploding things."

"Is that so?" Ginny mused, thinking of Fred and George.

The girls nodded as they put their trunks away. It quickly became apparent that the three weren't close when they sat sprinkled around the compartment and not together. The only thing they did have in common was that they were all first years.

"Romilda Vane," the blue-eyed girl who'd spoken first introduced herself with a nod.

Ginny and Luna gave her their names and turned to the other two girls for theirs. One, who had short blonde curls and large green eyes, smiled softly and murmured, "Yvette White." The other one, a small black girl, with long, dark hair and chocolate brown eyes, grinned at them and said, "Seanita Ambers."

Romilda looked curiously at Ginny. "Is that your natural hair colour?" she asked.

Ginny nodded. "Who dyes their hair at our age?"

Romilda leaned back in her chair and smirked. "It's very nice."

Ginny mirrored her expression. "I know."

The five started talking, mostly about the house system and what they were expecting at the castle. Ginny had deemed Yvette and Seanita tolerable – the two could grow on her. Luna, she liked. The girl was quiet, and when she did speak, her soft words were intelligent and kind, unlike the other three in the compartment. She didn't know what to feel about Romilda just yet – the brunette was _interesting_.

The conversation finally turned to the Boy Wonder. Ginny found that she had competition.

"I'm going to marry him!" Romilda announced.

For half a second, no one said anything. Luna stared at the brunette, her pale eyebrows raised. Yvette and Seanita glanced at each other, and looked away unsurely. Ginny narrowed her eyes at Romilda, and then smiled, shrewdly. "Are you?" she asked.

Romilda nodded, very sure of herself. "I will. I have it all planned out."

"Do you?" Ginny asked, with a frown. She didn't quite have a plan… Yet.

"Why do you want to marry him?" Luna asked, curiously. "Do you know him?"

"Not yet," Romilda answered. "But what do you mean by 'why?' Every girl should want to." Her eyes took on a dreamy look. "He defeated a dark wizard as a baby, and then again last year!"

"I find that remarkably brave and admirable," Luna allowed, although she frowned. "But… Is that it?"

Romilda frowned at her. "What does that mean? Of course, that's _it_. But _it_ is heroic."

Luna shrugged, uncertainly. "Seems like something flimsy to base a marriage on. There must be more to him than what's in the newspapers. He _is_ human, isn't he?"

Romilda stared at her. "Yes, there's more to him. And I'm sure that those aspects are just as heroic as the rest of him."

Luna only blinked. "Fine, Romilda. Whatever you say," she sighed.

A look of recognizance shot across Romilda's face then and she suddenly whipped around to face Ginny. "Ah!" she shrieked, pointing at her. "Your brother was with him last year! What's his name – Donald?"

Ginny stared at her. "Donald," she nodded with a small smile.

Romilda looked at the redhead with a new eye, the way a hunter looks at his prey. "So, do you know him?"

Ginny shrugged. "A little. I don't talk to him much."

Romilda stared at her, her eyes wide. "Oh," she muttered. "But you _do_ know him?"

Ginny nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Luna shake her head disapprovingly at Romilda's behaviour and had to smile

"Wasn't there another girl with them?" Yvette suddenly asked.

Ginny nodded, but before she could answer, the compartment door opened, and said girl walked in, accompanied by a boy who Ginny didn't recognize. "Hermione," she stated, smiling a bit. She looked questioningly at the boy.

Hermione returned her smile and nodded at her in acknowledgement before smiling briefly at the other girls in the compartment. "Ginny. This is Neville Longbottom," she said, seeing Ginny look at him. He and Ginny exchanged smiles, Neville turning away shyly after doing so. "Have you seen Harry or Ron? We can't seem to find them anywhere."

Ginny frowned and shook her head. "I haven't seen them since we boarded."

Hermione and Neville exchanged glances before Hermione nodded. "I suppose we'll just wait until we get to school then. No point in scouring the whole train, is there?"

"None," Ginny muttered, raising her eyebrows at the older girl's behaviour. She suddenly noticed Romilda staring at Hermione with narrowed eyes and smiled inwardly. _This should no doubt be interesting…_ "Hermione, this is Romilda Vane. Romilda, Hermione Granger. She's a friend of Harry's."

Romilda smiled at the older girl, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Hello."

Hermione must have noticed the younger girl's insincerity, because she raised her eyebrows before nodding at Romilda. "Hello," she stated, evenly. She turned back to Ginny, questioningly, but the redhead only shrugged and gave her a bright smile. After glancing curiously back at Romilda, Hermione nodded at the girls. "Girls," she said, by way of good-bye and turned and left the compartment, followed closely by a confused Neville.

"I think she likes you," Ginny smirked when the door closed after them.

Romilda scowled. "I don't even know why I should bother worrying about her. She is much too plain to take his attention."

Ginny laughed. "Perhaps," she muttered. She saw Luna shake her head again.

"Not everything is based on beauty alone," the blonde murmured, quietly.

Romilda eyed her. "I would hope so, if I were you," she said, snidely.

Luna shrugged and turned away from her to look out the window, apparently unbothered by what Romilda had just implied.

Ginny studied Luna's profile for a second, unsure if Romilda's comment had really rolled off her back or had stung the girl. Unable to know for sure, she turned away to look through her own window. She wasn't about to run to Luna's rescue, just because the comment _might_ have hurt her. But as she thought about it, she didn't know if she would have if she'd known for sure that it had. She thought it was too early to pick her friends and enemies… Or at least, make it known who they were.

Ginny turned away from her window to look around the compartment.

Romilda was sitting by herself, flipping through a magazine. Her back was stiff – maybe Luna had annoyed her. Maybe she'd noticed what Molly had noticed in Hermione. Either way, she looked up from the magazine often to stare out the window with the shadow of a small frown.

Yvette and Seanita were sitting closer together, but talking once in a small while in hushed voices. The conversation wasn't flowing – Romilda's attitude had killed the atmosphere.

Luna was also reading a magazine. She, however, seemed unbothered and her eyes never left the page they were on.

Smiling inwardly, though a little bored, Ginny turned back to look out of her window, leaning back against her seat and relaxing. This would be a long train ride…

xXx

When they had been boarding the boats, Ginny had seen the older students rush off to find their carriages. Hermione and Neville had been in a carriage, the older girl watching the train with narrowed, worried eyes. A pretty Indian girl, who the redhead didn't recognize, was sitting beside the older girl and touched Hermione on the arm and said something. A second later, Hermione frowned and nodded. Their carriage started moving then. As it did, Ginny caught Hermione's eyes and the older girl nodded at her and gave her a soft, encouraging smile. Ginny glanced from the train to her, wondering why she wasn't with her brother and Potter.

Now, as Ginny stood in line before the school, waiting for her name to be called, she realized that Ron and Potter were missing. Hermione was sitting between Neville and Percy, the Indian girl and a blonde across her, her eyes flickering to entrance of the Great Hall once during her conversations. Percy was also keeping a close eye on the entrance, between his conversations with the people around them. The only time a flicker of a smile crossed his face was when he happened to glance over at the Ravenclaw table and catch the eye of that girl he was talking to at the bank.

"Lovegood, Luna," McGonagall suddenly called out.

Ginny turned her attention from the Gryffindor table (which would be her new home, she knew – she wouldn't allow herself to be put anywhere else away from her family and her target) and to Luna as she nervously walked to the hat and bit her lip in anxiety as McGonagall put it on her. This was the first student Ginny had watched with interest – Ambers had been sorted into Gryffindor when the hat was about two inches from her head.

There was a long two and half minutes of silence, before "Ravenclaw!" erupted from the hat.

Ginny clapped politely along with everyone else, even though she felt a little disappointed that Luna wasn't in Gryffindor. At least with her, she knew that there could be someone to talk to. She supposed that Seanita Ambers would have to do.

"Urgh," Romilda Vane muttered through her bright smile as she clapped. "I was hoping to see her in Slytherin. Or better yet, the hat say nothing and McGonagall send her home in shame."

Ginny smirked at Romilda's attitude, but made no comment. Behind her, Yvette shuffled nervously and said as much as the redhead before her.

The hat worked its way through the line, and soon, Romilda was walking up to the stool for her sorting.

A good five minutes went by in silence, and the student body was starting to squirm when the hat seemed to smile a bit and announced "Gryffindor!"

Ginny started clapping, rather slowly. She felt about Romilda's sorting the way she did about the rest of her – unsure. She would find for sure whether or not she liked her, now that they would be living together.

"Weasley, Ginevra," McGonagall called.

Ginny frowned a bit, before catching herself, as she walked to the stool. She hated when people called her by her full first name. It wasn't McGonagall's fault, but still… And then Ginny realized that she'd been so annoyed that she'd forgotten to be nervous.

All thoughts of her first name left her head as the hat's brim settled over her eyes.

'_Hmm…_' the hat murmured. '_This is quite interesting._'

'_What?_' Ginny thought. '_I must be in Gryffindor. My whole family was before me_.'

'_That thought was quite Slytherin, which places a lot of emphasis on family and tradition_.'

Something started fluttering in Ginny's stomach. '_What_?' she asked.

'_And you don't seem at all unhappy about the fact_,' the hat's sagely voice pointed out. He paused for a second. '_You want to be different_,' he then stated.

'_Yes, but not different in this way_,' Ginny answered. The fluttering was becoming more feverish and was reaching her chest.

'_There are many Gryffindor traits in you. There is courage and bravery_.'

Ginny waited for a few seconds. '_What else_?' she asked, anxiously. She gulped. She was sure that Percy and the twins were looking at her curiously. None of them had the hat on for this long.

'_You value strength… But that is also a Slytherin trait. Relationships are important to you_.'

'_There, there you have it_,' Ginny said, quickly. '_Will you please put me Gryffindor now_?'

'_Are you certain_?' the hat asked. '_Gryffindors – most, anyway, it's hard to see this when they are children as all children have a tendency of breaking the rules, but – they value honesty and nobleness. They wouldn't want to break the rules, and would certainly not break ones set out by their parents and be so guilt free as they try to escape the consequences later._'

'_What do you mean_?' Ginny questioned. '_I don't break rules_.'

'_Let me give you one example… Do you not break into your parents broom shed and fly about unsupervised?_'

Ginny sighed. "Fine," she muttered, out loud. She caught herself and scowled a bit. '_Fine_,' she thought. '_But that's one Slytherin trait against many Gryffindor_.'

'_You have many Slytherin traits in you_,' the hat went on. '_Sly. Resourceful_.'

'_Please put me in Gryffindor_,' Ginny begged. '_What must I do to make you put me there_?'

'_Ah, see – bribery. Only Slytherins have resorted to this mechanism with me_.'

'_You must be jesting…_' Ginny thought.

'_There's one more thing_,' the hat said, and its wise voice grew sober. '_Ambition_.'

'_Ambition_?' Ginny echoed.

'_Slytherins value ambition_,' the hat stated. '_And you, Ginny Weasley. You have a level of ambition in you that is… Dangerous_.'

Ginny felt something not entirely unpleasant shoot through her when he uttered his final word.

'_And, I see that you will not allow this ambition_,' the hat continued. "_To be stopped by me_.' "Gryffindor!"

xXx

Ginny was exhausted. It was a quarter past 8:00pm and they were all to be in bed by 9:00pm. However, she was used to being in bed by 8 and was already feeling the effect of staying up only another fifteen minutes. However, her new dorm mates were fluttering about the room, chattering excitedly and Ginny was determined to keep up with them.

She stood by her bed, unpacking and putting quickly putting her clothes away before one of the others noticed and started comparing like they were doing with each other. Her lack of materialistic luxuries never bothered her before, but she felt a bit of a pang in her chest at the thought of ridicule from the other girls. Or maybe it was her own insecurity.

All of this would be fixed if her mother's plans went through successfully.

With that thought, she finished unpacking her clothes and started on her books, which she took a little more time with.

When she came across her DADA book, she paused carefully, as it was the subject that fascinated her the most. She'd not had a chance to look it over at home. She pulled it toward her and flipped the cover open, feeling surprised when she saw another book tucked between the hard cover and the first page.

This book was smaller, though not by much. It was dark and worn with age, but the letters and name – T. M. Riddle – shone in bright silver on its cover. A little cautiously, she picked it up and turned the cover curiously, wondering what it was. She'd never seen it before.

The book was empty.

She suddenly felt disappointed.

She turned it over in her hands. Maybe it was a notebook. A journal, or a diary. She'd never kept one. There was too much chance that her brothers, or worse, mother would come across it and read it.

Her deepest thoughts, fears and secrets were written on the blank pages of her mind and buried deep within her soul. No one would ever know them. No one would ever know her. They knew an illusion. They knew only the girl they wanted her to be or the girl she would allow them to see. No would ever know _her_.

Her dark chocolate eyes rested on the book in her hands. She briefly entertained the thought of using it as her own diary, but quickly dismissed it. It would probably be better to use the book for notepaper. That way she could save money on parchment; money that she could spend elsewhere. Besides, she wasn't sure that this T. M. Riddle would appreciate her using his book as her diary. And she didn't appreciate hand-me-downs. Not that she had ever had a choice at home.

Not knowing why and not even fully noticing herself doing it, she reached into her trunk for the quill and inkpot that she'd just stored away and pulled them out. She dipped the quill into the ink once, twice and a third time for good measure before bringing the ink-drenched tip to the cover. She paused then, looking thoughtfully at the tip of her quill and the black cover, with its silver letters. No, her words would never show up against a dark cover.

Ginny opened the cover and looked at the first page. It was off-white and crisp. She brought the quill to the page and with a flourish, wrote in elegant, intricate letters –

_Ginevra_

Ginny paused then before adding her last name, wondering if she should mark the book as her property with her maiden name or – the thought brought a twisted smile to her lips – her target's name.

Just when Ginny thought about leaving her name alone, more letters appeared on the page, below and just a little to the right of hers, their script just as elegant as hers, but a bit more… Simple? Masculine, a small voice at the back of her head mused.

_**Riddle**_

As Ginny stared, her eyebrows furrowing the tiniest bit in curiosity, the names simply sat on the page for a long moment before her name disappeared, followed closely by his.

What had just happened?

_**Tom Marvolo Riddle**_ suddenly appeared across the page.

Ginny's eyes grew a bit wide and her mouth opened a little in surprise and shock. She quickly glanced up and looked around the room. Two of her roommates had dropped off to sleep, the day's activities haven taken their toll. One girl was reading and the other was at the far end of the room, curled into a ball on her bed and staring out the window. Homesick, no doubt. Ginny wrinkled her nose a bit and inwardly frowned. _Pathetic_, she suddenly found herself deeming the girl. Turning away from her, she drew her curtains around herself and scrambled rather gracelessly into bed, staring intently at the book on her lap.

Master Riddle was still writing –

_**May I know your full name, my lady?**_

Ginny simply gawked at the page for a second, before remembering her manners.

_Ginevra Molly Prewitt Weasley_, she wrote, her script just a tad less elegant and neat than it had been before. She was excited – never before had she seen such a thing. A book that spoke. Or wrote. She'd come to the school with grand expectations and she was already discovering magic before the first day.

_**You've a lovely name, Ginevra. I may call you that, may I not?**_

Ginny started to write no, that she preferred her nickname, but what came out on paper was. _Why ever not, my lord?_ She suddenly froze when she saw what she'd addressed him as – he hadn't given her a title. What if he was less – or worse – more? Another slip in her manners. What was wrong with her tonight? A long day and already staying past the time for bed, she answered herself. She shook her head. Who cares what he was? He was just a book.

_**I do not see why not, Ginevra. As I've already said, it is a lovely name. Regal.**_

Ginny had to smile. He – or, it… Or he. He. He'd given her a name, hadn't he? _He_ was quite charming. _Your name is intriguing. May I call you Tom?_

_**You've given me the pleasure of using your first name. How can I not repay you?**_

Amusement shot through her and she instinctively clamped both her hands over her mouth before she burst into giggles. After a few moments, she managed to calm herself down and she turned back to the diary, her eyes shining with mirth. _Quite right, my lord. Tom. How can you not?_

_**I would not want to indebted to a young lady I've only met. However, I fear my first name is rather boring. Nothing at all like yours. You would probably be better off addressing me as 'my lord.'**_

Ginny grinned. _Why do you find it boring? It's simple, yet classically stylish._

_**I wish with all my heart to believe you.**_

Ginny thought of an immediate answer, and her grin deflated into a soft smile when she thought that she would be telling him to do something that she herself could never do on impulse. _Then do so._

Tom didn't reply for a long second. Ginny was just starting to frown and moved her hand a bit to write again when he wrote.

_**I shall try, my lady.**_

_You address me as lady again. Whatever happened to using my lovely, regal first name?_

_**My apologies. How can I have missed such an opportunity to write out that divine name? I drown in my sorrow.**_

Ginny burst out laughing and almost fell back onto her bed. She held her breath to keep from laughing and prayed to Circe that none of the girls had heard her. The last thing she would need was a rumour to circulate the school that she was insane and laughed to herself at night. Potter would never go out with her then.

Ginny straightened, but her handwriting was a little shaky from her remaining amusement when she wrote back to him. _You are wonderfully amusing, Tom._

_**You find my grief amusing?**_ Tom immediately replied.

Ginny almost burst into giggles again and she grinned widely. _Surely, you jest?_

_**I never jest.**_

_You lie._ Ginny shook her head, smiling as she wrote the statement.

_**I lie; yes. However, I never jest.**_

Ginny thought that his tone – she knew, somehow, even though she read his words instead of hearing them – was humourous and that he was still joking with her and smiled wryly. _Fine. I shall believe you either way._

_**That, Ginevra, is all I ask for.**_

Ginevra had to turn and press her face into her pillow to keep from laughing out loud. She turned back to the diary again. _Are you always like this?_

_**Only when I endeavor to impress.**_

_It is working._ Ginny smiled, wryly – maybe she should ask Tom for help with Harry.

_**I am glad.**_

Ginny didn't know how to respond, but she needn't have worried because Tom was writing again.

_**So are you a queen, Ginevra?**_

Ginny's eyes widened. _No. I've only eleven years._ He didn't honestly think she was royalty because of her name, did he?

_**A princess then?**_

Ginny was about to wryly write 'only in my dreams' when more letters appeared.

_**You most certainly sound like one.**_

Ginny held her breath to keep from laughing, her face flush with pleasure. _I'm not._

_**You're not?**_

_I would love to be one, but I'm not._ She suddenly thought of her wardrobe and frowned a little. _Believe me, I'm not._

Tom didn't respond for a second. And then, his writing appeared. _**Be my princess then.**_

Ginny found herself smiling widely again as she shook her head, incredulously. _Who __are__ you?_

_**Only your most humble servant.**_

This time, Ginny laughed out loud – she couldn't help herself. She covered her mouth, accidentally smearing some ink across her lip, but she paid it no mind and prayed that none of the girls heard her. _You do not have the mannerisms of a humble servant, my lord._

_**I suppose not.**_

Ginny frowned for half a second, as she grew wary of what exactly she was doing. She suddenly remembered that she knew nothing of the kind of magic that was working in the book in her lap. _Really, who are you?_

_**Tom.**_

Ginny was about to write to him to elaborate, but Tom was still writing.

_**Your diary. Just Tom.**_

xXx

And there's chapter 2.

Once again, I've not decided on pairings or even if there will be. Please review.

Next Chapter –

Humour starts with the competition

A letter from Molly causes trouble

Ginny talks to Tom about the trouble

luv

Creatress


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter or anything related

Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter or anything related.

xXxXxXx

Author's Note:

Hi, everyone. Sorry for the wait. Here's chapter 3…

Luv

Creatress

xXxXxXxXx

The Boleyn Family Values

Chapter 2 – The Unknowing Contender

"Are you serious? You can't be serious!"

"I wonder what's happening," Seanita mused as they made their way to the Gryffindor table.

Ginny saw that Harry was flanked by Ron and Hermione, each of whom had friends sitting on their other sides. The two girls in Hermione's year were sitting across from them with Neville Longbottom. Neville and the two girls were staring wide-eyed at the Golden Trio as Hermione looked in shocked horror at her two best friends.

"I'm serious," Harry stated. He started talking again before Hermione could interrupt, his voice firm and calm. "It's okay, Hermione. Really, it is. We didn't get hurt." He looked to Ron for back-up and the redhead nodded his confirmation.

Ginny, Romilda, Seanita and another Gryffindor girl, Fern Watson, seated themselves a few seats away and listened, discretely – Ginny and Romilda because of their goals, Fern because she was obsessed with the Trio and Seanita because there was no one else to talk to.

"What were you thinking?" Hermione hissed.

Ron cut in when Harry was about to respond. "We were thinking about our education. How else were we supposed to get to school?"

Neville, Harry and one of the girls across Hermione chuckled quietly.

"That's not funny, Ronald," Hermione stated. She shook her head. "Honestly, even before school started…"

Harry suddenly laughed a little. "That's exactly what Snape and McGonagall said. 'Before school started.'" To Ginny and Romilda's surprise and displeasure, he threw an arm around Hermione shoulders for half a second and pulled her into a short bear hug. "The only reason I wasn't so afraid of _them_ was because I was thinking of how _you_ would react."

This time, Ron, Neville and the two girls laughed out loud. Hermione's lip quirked and she had to turn away so that her friends wouldn't see her smile.

"I wonder what they did," Fern murmured, her voice quiet with awe.

Romilda scowled. "She doesn't seem happy about it. Why would it bother her so much anyway?"

Before anyone could answer, a sea of owls flew in through the windows, delivering packages and letters. Ginny's eyes widened when she saw Hermes flutter down in front of Ron with a crimson envelope. There was a shuffle and some whispers as Ron choked and Harry asked him what was wrong.

"Doesn't he know what a Howler is?" Ginny couldn't help but think. None of the other girls seemed to have noticed, however. She was entirely sure what to feel about this. There was something that… Picked at her, though she couldn't find the words to describe it, about him having no idea what something as basic as the red envelope was.

Ron quickly told Harry about it, and edged on by Hermione and Neville, held it away from him and ripped the thing open. Molly Weasley's voice rang out through the hall. Ginny's jaw dropped open and she thought she would die of embarrassment as her mother ranted and raved at Ron's idiotic decision. "You could have gotten Harry killed!" Molly finally exclaimed. The envelope turned so that the opening faced Harry. "I do hope that you're alright, dear," it said, amiably. It then turned again to face Ginny. Ginny's eyes widened, but all her mother said to her was "Congratulations on getting sorted into Gryffindor, honey" before it went silent.

"They _flew_ here?!" Fern whispered, her eyes widening.

Ginny gawked at the Trio for a second. Ron was as red as his hair, Harry looked awestruck, and Hermione… Was actually faintly smiling. She didn't have time to ponder on this, however, because another small owl – she recognized it as the neighbour's – dropped a plain, white envelope in her lap before nipping at a bit of her toast and flitting away. "Excuse me," she said, getting up, the envelope clutched in her hand.

"You've hardly eaten," Seanita pointed out.

"I don't eat much in the morning," Ginny mumbled, absent-mindedly, eyeing the toast the owl had bit with distaste. "I'll meet you all in first period." The girls murmured their good-byes to her and she left the Great Hall. She slipped into an empty corridor before opening the envelope and pulling out her letter.

_Dear Ginny,_

_As you no doubt have heard, your brother and Harry flew your father's car to school yesterday night. We are not quite sure of Harry's feelings about this, so do not state an opinion for or against their decision. I expect you to become friends with Harry by the end of this first week. Do not whine about classes and the work or say or do anything negative around him. I want him to see you in a positive light at all times._

_Write to me about everyone you meet there and about your progress on Harry._

_From your mother,_

_Molly Prewitt Weasley_

Ginny crumpled the letter and shoved it into her bag. She could have figured that out all by herself. Why did her mother feel the need to pester her with such advice at every turn?

"Ginny?"

Ginny turned around, bracing herself but relaxed when she saw Luna. "Good morning," she said.

"Are you alright? You left the Hall pretty quickly," Luna said, her eyebrows furrowing. There were a few books in her hand and she shifted them around nervously.

"I'm fine. I just had to do something first," Ginny murmured.

"Oh," Luna said, unsurely. "What class do you have first?"

"Defense against the dark arts," Ginny answered. McGonagall had caught the girls in her year in the common room. "You?"

"Herbology," Luna answered. She looked at her timetable, which was at the top of her books. "The first class I have with you is Potions, last period."

Ginny nodded. She had only looked at her courses, not the houses she'd have them with. "We should probably get going then," she said. "It's almost time for classes to start."

Luna nodded. "I'll see you later," she said. When Ginny nodded at her, she turned and left the hallway.

Ginny turned the other way and started to look for the Transfigurations room. Her brothers had warned her about the moving doors and steps, but she'd no idea that it would get so complicated. After about fifteen minutes of aimless wandering, she got worried about being late on her first day and finally stopped an older Hufflepuff and asked for directions. He wasn't much help, but she did manage to find the room. Earlier than most of the others in her year, it turned out. She was the first one there.

The hallway was empty and the door was locked. A muggle clock on the wall revealed that she actually had ten minutes to go. She settled down against the wall opposite to the classroom door and opened her book bag. In it were a few texts, some parchment, ink, quills… And her new diary.

She'd stayed up late, talking to him. (Her mother would be appalled, but Ginny didn't look different today than she did on any other day). It was fine – she was too excited about the first day of school to sleep well anyway. She'd told him about her feelings about her first day of school, about how she wanted to learn things and grow powerful, about the classmates she'd met… Tom was clever and witty, and he made her laugh with his comments. He also told her about the different subjects and what to expect – he'd been a student here as well.

Ginny frowned, pulling the diary out. She hadn't thought of it last night – she'd been too riveted by what he was saying to her to be bothered by how he might have come across the information - but now that she was fully alert, it bothered her and she wanted to know. '_Tom_?' she wrote. She watched as the words sunk into the page.

_**Hello, Ginevra.**_ There was a pause, and then more writing appeared. _**Pardon me, but should you not be in class at the moment?**_

_DADA will start in a bit_, she wrote quickly. _I wanted to ask you something._

_**Ask away.**_

Ginny frowned for a second, wondering how to ask him. She decided that the direct method was the best. _When you told me about classes last night, how did you know about them?_

His answer was quick and sure. _**I'm Tom Marvolo Riddle. I know everything.**_

Ginny bit her lip to keep from laughing. _Be serious, Tom._

_**I will not.**_ Ginny's eyes widened in surprise when she read these words, but before she could reply, more of his writing appeared. _**At least not until you say 'please.'**_

Ginny couldn't keep from grinning at his behaviour. _Fine. Can you please tell me how you know about school?_

Tom's answer wasn't as quick this time around. _**I used to be a student there.**_

Ginny's smile disappeared and her eyes widened. The book used to be a person?! Before she could react, she saw Tom's writing appear.

_**No, Ginevra, the book is not a person.**_

_How did you know what I was thinking?_

_**I told you. I'm Tom Riddle – I know everything.**_

Ginny couldn't help but feel amused even as she rolled her eyes, impatiently. _Fine. Can you please tell me what's happening?_

_**Tom, the wizard who used to write in this diary, attended the school a long time ago. I'm not him. I'm a mere memory. A collection of thoughts, emotions – a shallow reflection of what he used to be. He was powerful. That's how he made me – not all diaries come to life, but he enchanted me.**_

Ginny stared, awestruck. _How?_

_**Ginevra, you've yet to start your first charms class. Do you honestly believe I would be able to explain this to you?**_

Ginny groaned a little. _I suppose not. But you will, later? I want to know._

_**When the time is right, Ginevra, I will explain everything to you.**_

"Ginny!"

Ginny started and looked up to see Romilda and the other girls walking toward her. _Some of the other girls are here_, she wrote quickly.

_**It would be horrendous of you to deny them your presence and full attention.**_

Ginny had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling at that. She gently shut the book and put it away before rising. She quickly noticed that Romilda was scowling furiously. "What happened?" she asked.

Fern, Seanita and Yvette burst into laughter. "She tried to ask Harry Potter if he knew where the girls' lavatory is," Seanita chuckled.

Romilda scowled, blackly. "It was a perfectly fine question."

Seanita continued. "He just looked at her blankly and told her that he didn't know."

Yvette smirked. "She decided to pretend not to know him and asked if he was in our year. If he didn't know because he was new?"

Seanita jumped in. "He told her no, it's because he's a guy." The girls started tittering again. "She turned so red and he was so embarrassed!"

Romilda frowned. "Hermione Granger ended up giving me directions. I'll never use that washroom while I'm here."

Ginny smirked. "Technically, Romilda, you wouldn't be able to use it while you're anywhere else, either."

Romilda narrowed her eyes at her. "I _hate_ her," she scowled.

Yvette smiled a bit. "Romilda, there's no reason for you to hate her. She's not his girlfriend. He's only twelve."

"Twelve-year-olds will grow up," Romilda growled. "He'll start to feel more for her."

Ginny almost rolled her eyes. "You can't be certain," she stated.

"I heard she saved his life last year," Fern suddenly spoke up. She blinked and cowered under the curious looks she received.

Ginny frowned. Ron had told them about everything Hermione had done the previous year, but he hadn't mentioned anything about her saving his life. "Really?" she asked. "How?"

Fern thought for a second. "He had to get through all of these obstacles, to get to the Sorcerer's Stone. You-Know-Who was after it, and Harry had to save it from him."

Romilda squealed a little. "He's such a hero," she said.

"A hero you embarrassed this morning," Yvette put in, wryly. She nodded at Fern. "Go on then."

"Anyways, the final one was this riddle about a set of potions. Only one would let him get through to the next room. The others were poisons or something. If she hadn't solved the riddle and found the right one for him, he would have died."

Romilda rolled her eyes. "Why didn't he just… Not take any of them?"

Ginny frowned, suddenly aware of a small knot of worry at the bottom of her stomach. "He would have been a sitting duck then," she mused. "You-Know-Who would have found the stone, come back to life, and found him after he regained his power. Harry Potter would not have stood a chance."

Romilda looked at Ginny, and realized that she was right. Hermione Granger had indeed saved the Boy Who Lived's life the previous year. Ginny caught the look on Romilda's face and briefly wondered how her raven-haired rival would react if she knew what Ginny knew – about Hermione setting Snape on fire during the game, or the Devil's Snare, or her figuring out what the Sorcerer's Stone did. About Hermione Granger saving Potter numerous times during the previous year.

Romilda couldn't respond, because all the students had appeared and Lockhart had just opened the door to invite them inside. But Ginny shared one last look with Romilda and both knew that they'd found another rival – one who was ahead of them in a race that she didn't even realize she was a part of. Hermione Granger was a threat.

xXxXx

A/n

Next Chapter –

Lockhart's first DADA lesson (good for some comedy and… Well, you'll see…).

Ginny talks to Tom about Harry.

The girls go to their house team's first practice match.

If you're reading this on fanfiction . net, reviews make me write faster!

If you're reading this on fictionalley . org, comments make me write faster!

I still haven't decided on pairings, so please tell me what you would like to see so that I can give you what you want! (As much as possible... I _am_ trying though.)

Luv,

Creatress


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